Download Economic Activities

Level of Development
One common
measurement of
development is a
country’s gross
domestic product, or
its GDP
The GDP is the total
value of all goods and
services produced in a
given year
Level of Development
The GDP is more
useful when it is
divided by the
number of people
living in a country
This gives us the per
capita GDP, which can
be used to compare
income levels in
different countries
Level of Development
Another measure of a
country’s development is
the level of
industrialization
Industrialization is the
process by which
manufacturing based
on machine power
becomes widespread
Level of Development
Additional measures of
development include the
average amount of energy
a country uses, and the size
and quality of a country’s
transportation and
communication system
A country’s level of
development also
determines their standard
of living
Developed and Developing Countries
The world’s countries
can be organized into
two main groups
The richest countries
are called developed
countries
The poorest are
developing
countries
Developed and Developing Countries
Developed countries
share many of the
same features
High levels of
education
Good health care
Literacy rates are
high
Both birth and death
rates are low
More About Developed Countries
Developed countries have a great deal of
technology and manufacturing.
Most people in developed countries work in
manufacturing or service industries and enjoy
a high standard of living.
Farmers in developed countries engage in
commercial farming, raising crops and
livestock to sell in the market.
Because of modern techniques, only a small
percentage of workers are needed to grow
food.
Developed and Developing Countries
Developing countries
are less productive
economically and have
lower standards of
living
These countries have
low per capita GDPs
Birthrates are high and
life expectancy is low
More About Developing Countries
Most people farm and few have
electricity
Most farmers in developing countries
engage in subsistence farming,
growing only enough food for family
needs.
Developed and Developing Countries
Between the world’s
richest and poorest
countries are what
some call middleincome countries
(newly industrialized)
Developed and Developing Countries
Many of these countries
have new industries and
many people are switching
from rural to city life
Examples include Mexico,
Brazil, Thailand, and
Malaysia
Their cities may be
modern but rural areas
are still very poor
Economic Activities
Economic geography deals
with how people earn a
living and use resources
Economists group
money-making activities
into four categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
primary
secondary
tertiary
quaternary
Economic Activities
Economic activities that involve
taking or using natural
resources are called primary
activities
Primary economic activities take
place near the natural resources
that are being gathered or used
(coal mining occurs at the site
of a coal deposit)
Primary activities provide the
basic raw materials for
industry
They include farming, grazing,
fishing, forestry, and mining
Economic Activities
Secondary activities use
raw materials to produce
or manufacture
something new and more
valuable
Examples include
steelmaking, manufacturing
automobiles, assembling
electronic goods, producing
electric power, or making
pottery.
Secondary activities are
usually located close to
the resource being used
or to the market for the
finished product
Economic Activities
Tertiary activities do not involve
directly acquiring and remaking
natural resources. Instead,
tertiary activities provide
services to people and
businesses
For example, doctors, lawyers,
store clerks, and teachers
provide wholesale, retail,
personal and professional
services
Tertiary activities are usually
located near customers to
serve them better
Economic Activities
In advanced countries,
workers process, manage
and distribute information—
these jobs are called
quaternary economic activities
These jobs require workers
with specialized skills and
knowledge—research scientists
and programmers
People performing these
activities could work in
education, government,
business, information
processing, or research.